Flying machine



Sept. 16. 1924. 1,508.77?

' G. cAPRoNl FLYING MAC'HINE F1106 I89 14 1920 2 Shuts-Shut 1 I INVENTOR,

A TTORNEYS.

G. CAPRONI FLYING MACHINE S ept. t6 1924.

Filb y 14 1920 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 IIVVENTORJ Roam ZiGgwWLQ/b A TTOR/VEYS Fatented Sept, 16, i924.

UlTED STATES means PATENT OFFICE.

GIANNI CAIRONI, or MILAN, ITALY.

FLYING MACHINE.

Application filed May 14, 1920. Serial No. 381,308.

reference being had therein to the accom panying drawing.

This invention relatestov flying machines of the aeroplane class, 'more particularly multiplanes, and for illustration the inven: tion is shown as applied to a triplane.

The general object is to so improve the.

system of construction of triplanes or other multiplanes as to attain; certain highly deslrable and essential advantages, namely simplicity of structure, yet great strength danger of injury or breakage. Another object is to secure the recited advantages in such'a way as to diminish the .air resistance to the travel of the machine and thus further enhance the staunchnessand safety of the machine. Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be elucidated in the hereinafter following description of one form or embodiment thereof, or will be apparent to thoseyskilled in the art. p

The main portion. of the aeroplane may be considered as comprising at each of its symmetrically opposite sides, a number of sections or trellis spaces, of which two are herein shown, although more might beemployed for a greater Width of machine. The space within each trellis or section may be considered as divided by the three super posed planes into an upper cell and a lower cell. The present invention has to do with the building up of this structure or system of cells and trellises by means of'interconnecting members, as will be described, extendlng between the respective planes or rather the framework within such planes, and with the arrangement, relation and mode of interconnection of these various elements. The present improvement enables the elimination of the usual diagonal cables or wires,'and at the same time minimizes the number of interconnecting members between the respective planes,'this being accomplished by the employment in a certain manner of; diagonal rigid bars or struts.

which are able to safely take the stresses both of tension and compression, and which cooperate with rigid uprights, of minimum number, so as to give the necessary rigidity and strength under all practical flying conditions.

V In the accompanying. drawings showing one convenient form or embodiment of the present invention, 1 is a diagrammatic front elevation intended to show the prin-' ciple. or system of structure, this view omitting the wing surfaces and many details such as the. structure and arrangement of thesteering and control mechanism, and the rudders and other rear portions.

Fig. 2'is a detail in front elevation showing the preferred mode of construction of the interconnecting joints or couplingsbetween the wing frame members and the members extending'between the wings.

Fig. 3 is a central section of the details shown in Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a perspective view of a suflicient portion of the machine to show the relation and interconnection of the various structural members.

Fig. 5 is a partial side elevation.

The framework or structure within the several wings or planes respectively is shown diagrammaticallyat 11, 12, and 13 in Fig. 1, and these references may be considered as pertaining more particularly to the longi: tudinal members or beams, of which there may be one near the-forward edge and another near the aft edge of each Wing. In Fig. 4 are indicated in dotted lines the superior wing or plane 14, the intermediate one 15, and the inferior one 16, these being superposed in spaced apart relation accord ing toany convenient principles of arrangement. A fuselage or nacelle 17 is shown, carrying motor 18 and tractor propeller 19; and obviously these elements maybe duplicated or variously altered. "Underneath the planes is any desired structure, for landing on water or land; for example the landing chassis 21 is shown, connected to the main portion of the machine by asystem of braces 22 and 23, the axle 24: carrying the usual'pneumatic wheels 25. Diagonal cables 26 from the base of the chassis to lateral points on the bottom plane enhance. the rigidity of the machine as a whole.

It is preferable to have a central nucleus inthe nature of 'a rigid structure of interconnected members with which the nacelle and the landing chassis can be rigidly related. A' convenient form of nucleus is shown in Fig. 1, in which four rigid bars 30 are arranged in lozenge form. 3 The upper two bars 30 are connected by a joint 31 with the top frame 11, and by spaced apart joints 32 with the middle frame 12. The lower two bars 30 are connected to said joints 32 and by a single joint 33 with the bottom frame 13. The braces 23, before mentioned, extend to the landing chassis from the lower members 30 of the nucleus, and at the point of connection a cross brace 34 is shown, which greatly enhances the strength of the entirety.

The subject of the remainder of the description, being symmetrically equivalent at the two sides, will for convenience be described only at one side.

A series of rigid uprights or struts, forming a part of the present invention, may be considered as dividing the system of superposed planes into trellises or cells. Thus, at each side of the center and spaced well out from the nucleus are shown, connect-- ing the upper and intermediate frames 11 and 12, a rigid bar or upright 41, and connectingthe frames 12 and 13 a similar bar or upright 42, in line with the upright 41. If desired, the two struts or uprights 41 and 42 may be integral or rigidly united to form a singlerupright connecting all three planes, but are shown as separate members in Fig. 4,'bolted to each other or to the middle frame 12. The space between the nucleus and the uprights 41 and 42 may be considered the first trellis at thatside.

A second trellis is shown at each side, and there might be further ones if enlargement were desired. The second trellis is comprised between the uprights 41 and 42 and other uprights 43 and 44 spaced further from the center. The upright 43 connects the planes or frames 11 and 12, and the upright 44in line beneath it connects the frames 12 and 13, analogously to the'arrangement of the uprights 41 and 42.

The uprights 41, 42, 43 and 44 may be strong rigid members composed of hollow metal or of wood, constructed in a known manner and having, in cross section, an advantageous contour or stream-line to minimize the resistance as the member cuts through the air.

While the diagram, Fig. 1, indicates only a single'upright at each position, it will be understood that there will be at least two, that is, one near the forward and one near the rear edge, respectively, of each plane and corresponding to the forward and rear longitudinal beams of the latter. These remarks in regard to the upright rigid members apply also to the diagonal rigid members which W111 be below described. Between each rigid upright, for example 41, and the corresponding one directly to the rear of it may be interconnecting members togive foreand aft rigidity, and the space between these uprights may be covered with a suitable surface so that a true cellular construc tion of aeroplane is afforded.

The diagonal elements referred to are shown as comprising a rigid member 45 extending between planes 11 and 12 inthe first trellis, and a .rigid member 46 extending between planes 12 and 13 in the same trellis; these two members 45 and 46 being shown in alignment, and they may be pivotally con nected or may be rigidly united or integral so as to constitute a single member extending from the top to the bottom plane. In the second trellis are shown similar rigiddiagonals 47 and 48. i v

Each of the upper diagonals 45 and 47 it will be seen, connects at its upper end with the joint 49 by'which the adjacent upright is connected to the superior plane, or the frame thereoff- Analogously the rigid diagonals meet and are coupled with. the intermediate frame 12 at points 50. The uprights'intersect and are coupled with the intermediate frame 12 at the joints 51. The upright 44 is connected with the lowest frame 13 at the joint 52. The diagonal 48 forms a coupling with the lowest frame 13' and the upright 42 at the joint 53. The diagonal 46 meets the lowest frame 13 at the point 33 before mentioned. 7

' The joints or couplings may be of various suitable forms, butv a convenient form is that indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, in which the rigid between-plane members are provided with forks at their ends for interconnection with the frames andeach other. Thus, for exam ple, the joint 49 between thewing frame 11, the upright 43, and the diagonal 47 7 may be afforded by providingv a fork 54 at. the o tioned, and obviates the objections which pertain to the employment of. mere diagonal tension members or cables and other suggested prior structures. The effectv of a trussis obtained so as not merely to give rigidity and strength while at the same time diminishing resistance and strain, but the described arrangement further affords a peculiarly advantageous reinforcing effect. I do not deem it necessary to expound the science of strains and stresses in aeroplane structures in practical use,but suffice it to say that the nvention herein illustrated is scientifically adapted to the purposes. men;

tioned, and permits a highly advantageous structure of high powered, large sized triplane or other multiplane.

Since certain illustrated features of arrangement, form and detail may be modified without departing from the principles involved, it is not intended to limit the present invention to such features except in so far as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A triplane having spaced apart uprights each connected to the frames of all the planes and forming a plurality of trellises at each side of the nucleus, and a rigid diagonal member in each trellis space, extending from corner to corner and giving reinforcement both of tension and compression, with a rigid nucleus formed by an arrangement of inclined struts meeting at and joined with the plane frames.

2. A triplane having the top, middle and lowest planes (11, 12, 13), a nucleus, spaced apart upright struts (4142, 43-44) connected to the frames of all three planes and forming trellises at both sides of the nucleus, each trellis space having an upper and a lower cell, and bracing means inside of each trellis space consisting of a rigid diagonal strut member (4748) extending from the junction (49) of one upright with the frame of the top plane to the junction (53) of the next upright with the frame of the lowest plane, and its middle connected with the frame of the middle plane, the diagonalstrut giving reinforcement both of tension and compression and, with the middle plane, dividing the trellis space into two triangles and two trapezoids free of resistance-giving members.

3. A multiplane having its top and bottom planes and at least one intermediate plane, spaced apart upright struts connected to the frames of all the planes and forming trellises at the two sides of the machine, and bracing means inside of each trellis space, consisting of a long rigid diagonal strut member extending from the junction of one upright with the frame of top plane to the junction of the next upright with the frame of the lowest plane, and rigidly connected with the frames of all of the planes, said diagonal strut giving reinforcement both of tension and compression, and, with the planes, dividing the trellis space into triangles and trapezoids.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature hereto.

7 GIANNI CAPRONI. 

